Stuck on the motorway due to accident ahead, children out of the car ahead - dangerous or AIBU?

[kattekitt]

Currently at a stand still on the motorway due to accident ahead. Both sides of motorway appear closed as in no rolling normal traffic.

Fair few fire engines & police cars whizzing down the hard shoulder and up the other side of the motorway

A few cars around have their children out, DH thinks Aibu by being concerned for their safety.

For example one girl about 9/10 yrs old out of the car, parents or people she's traveling with remain in the car - she's been dancing in lane 2 then sitting on the central reservation.

I'm probably being ott but I just don't think it's safe.

Others are now picking flowers off the embankment (right next to the hard shoulder)

As I type other side starts moving.

When I broke down, I was advised by the breakdown service to get out of my car (which was on the hard shoulder; traffic was moving normally on the motorway) and get beyond the crash barrier on the edge of the hard shoulder as that was safer than being in the car. So the advice isn't to stay in a vehicle on a hard shoulder. But the OP describes children who aren't well away from the carriageway, and they should be.

Meh, if the traffic's totally stationary (ie road is closed ahead) then it's fine as long as they're careful of emergency vehicles using the hard shoulder. I was caught on the A3 a few months ago and we were stationary for a couple of hours. There were people walking their dogs in adjacent fields, kids playing and riding scooters/skateboards on the road. My dog had a poo on the central reservation, now that's something that doesn't happen often.

Being stuck at a stand still for several hours is very different from stop start traffic.

Perfectly acceptable in stationary situation to get out of the car so that car does not overheat.

However, to stay by car and not go wandering off to the hard shoulder where emergency vehicles could pass at speed.

Happened to us on the M6 North once for 2 hours. In heat like this it would be possibly worse inside the car. Just stick close by and monitor the car drivers further ahead. Once they start getting into their cars, get into yours.

Stay safe.

Sheepy I don't think anyone is suggesting staying in a car on the hard shoulder are they? These cars are on the motorway

Thanks for all the replies

Still at a complete standstill, we’re on the M62, other side now moving.

Even DH agrees what we’ve just seen is dangerous, two small children one around 2 the other about 4 at the oldest, no adult in site, running around on the hard shoulder. We’ve had fire engines and police traveling at speed up the hard shoulder, why why why would you put your child at risk like this?

Police have been passed and told everyone to get back in their cars, the above incident happened after we’d been told that. I’m at a bit of a loss for words

Emergency vehicles will still need to use the hard shoulder. Letting kids wander around is extremely stupid and dangerous even if the lanes are at a standstill. Get out of the car by all means but under close parental supervision . Not picking flowers on the embankment ffs. What planet are these people on.

The episode of Hospital that was on BBC this week featured a man who got out on the hard shoulder to help someone with his broken down car and was hit by another car himself.

I have know some vehicle recovery men be killed like that! One poor sod was having a piddle up near the front ogf his van whewn someone ran inot the back of it and he wqas killed outright . Dangerous please if you MUST leave your car then get behing the crash barrier!

I would be worried about motorbikes filtering through the traffic and hitting one of the children.

Difficult. Must be very hot in cars even with windows open. Can’t run air con continuously as would run out of fuel. Children can die in hot cars especially small babies. So perhaps outside next to car with parents?

A lorry carrying oxygen has gone on fire, no one injured, but because of explosion risk the M62 is at a total standstill. Agree fire vehicles may be using the hard shoulder and so letting children play there is madness. However there must be dogs and babies who do need to get out of the car, so what is the safest way to do that ?

Fine being out of the car on a motorway, until the time happens where I or someone else comes inbetween the cars and flattens the child with a 250kg motorcycle. Motorcyclists won't be expecting unsupervised unpredictable children out in the middle of a motorway, and we won't be sitting at the back of a mile (plus) long standstill tailback either, so will be coming past to get to the front. OP's concerns were valid I think, totally idiotic to be out of the car on a motorway, standstill or not.

Biker, a motorway pretty much shut with long, long tailbacks. All over the news and traffic clearly stationary. One of the hottest days of the year and a bank holiday weekend so lots of families about. It would be absolute hell (and possibly unsafe depending on temperature and temperament of children) stuck in a car with young children.

Yet you would not expect children to be out of cars? Whether it is right or wrong I absolutely would expect children and dogs to be out of cars and would expect them as a hazard.

Don’t see a problem with it, stay alert and aware.

Being outside is better than vegetating in a car on a mobile phone

No need for them to be running around the central reservation and hard shoulder. Allow to get out and stay near the car or sit in the car and open all the doors. They shouldn't be unsupervised.

Extremely dangerous, it is still a road, and traffic could get moving at anytime, or emergency services some to and from, noway. Why are the parents not with her.

Sometimes you get motorbikes traveling between the stationary cars. Seems loopy to me, to let them out unsupervised!

Don’t see a problem with it, stay alert and aware.

OP has said emergency vehicles are travelling at speed on the hard shoulder and children as young as 2 are playing on it - do you really think this is OK? Do you think 2 and 4 year olds are able to stay 'alert and aware'

Crazy behaviour, total inability on the part of the thick as pigshit parents to assess risk.

I was stuck a while ago on dual carriageway. No hard shoulder so cars had moved over to the side to let emergency vehicles go by.

In the lane next to us were about 6 cars full of young lads that were clearly mates. They had a football out!

I wouldn't do this but I have bad anxiety so it made me feel sick to read this, so probably not the most balanced view lol.

M62 | Greater Manchester | Westbound | Serious Incident | Road Closed
The M62 in Greater Manchester is closed westbound between J22 and J21 near Milnrow due to an HGV fire. The Central reservation barrier has been cut to release trapped traffic on to the eastbound carriageway. Lanes 3 and 4 have been closed eastbound to facilitate this. 
Westbound traffic is advised to exit the M62 at J22 and follow the hollow diamond diversion symbol. Take the A672 southbound towards Denshaw. Then take the A640 westbound towards Newhay and then take the A6193. Re-join the M62 at J21.

Road users are advised to expect delays and to allow extra time for their journeys.
Last updated on: 05/05/2018 14:16

This is from TRAFFIC ENGLAND website @Aeroflotgirl FYI

Hope you get to end of your journey safely

We were in our motorhome once on a closed motorway with the emergency teams waiting for air ambulance. Our DC were able to use our onboard toilet and we let the dog out of her crate to stretch her legs, but still within the motorhome.
There were so many people getting out of their cars walking around then the men were going over to hard shoulder to wee up the barrier - like in situation above emergency vehicles were zooming down the hard shoulder to the accident. Think they would have been much safer using a bottle rather than the hard shoulder

I hate saying ring 101 but this might be the time if you can explain exactly where you are and know which car the kids are out of. Just so someone can come have a word with the parents. Emergency services will expect this to an extent but it is still very dangerous.

YANBU.

@kattekitt did the girl dancing have long red hair? if so we were sat near you waves

Idiot parents

Stepping out to stretch legs I can sort of see as ok but running about playing? Just not on. Yy to motorbikes.